A chance to get involved in the legislative process is a spectacular opportunity that not only allows community members to learn but to hold their elected officials accountable as well. On Friday, La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership (LEAP) held its Third House Legislative Update Session to give the community that exact opportunity.
At the event, members of the business community, individuals of the general public, and even a few high school students sat before a panel of some of La Porte’s elected officials to hear about legislative issues at the state, county, and city levels. It was the perfect chance for individuals to take a more active role in the legislative process.
“We’re always talking about how important laws are, but most people just end up reading about things in the newspaper or online. Having a space like this allows people to actually participate in the legislative process. I can guarantee that our legislators here on the stage are listening and processing the feedback that they’re getting,” said Bert Cook, executive director of LEAP.
La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody, State Representative Jim Pressel, State Senator Mike Bohacek, President of La Porte City Council Tim Franke, La Porte County Commissioner Joe Haney, and La Porte County Councilman Adam Koronka were all a part of the panel.
Each official got to speak for a few minutes about the different things they are currently working on and planning to work on in the future. Afterward, the floor was opened up to the audience to ask questions.
People asked questions about specific bills currently in the works such as the puppy bill and LGBTQ+ bills, as well as efforts being made to fix the county’s roads. People even took the opportunity to share some of their concerns.
One interesting question was how the state, county, and city can collaborate better. It was a great opportunity for people to learn about something that isn’t normally highlighted by the news. Each official went into detail about different ways they’ve collaborated with one another and even shared their wishes to collaborate more.
“I don’t think people realize how much we collaborate together. After each election cycle, I like to send a letter to all the newly elected officials. I give them my cell phone number and email address and invite them to reach out to me so I can work with them. That’s a needed part of what I do as a legislator,” said Pressel.
The officials took their time answering each question openly and honestly. The floor to ask questions was ultimately great not just for the audience but for the elected officials as well. It gave them a chance to show their constituents how much they care and want to hear from them.
“There were just so many excellent questions, and what was really neat were all the responses my fellow officials gave. I believe we have a group of elected officials here today that are deeply engaged, and if you’re engaged, the questions are easy to respond to. People want the truth and to know that their elected officials are working, and I think we showed them that today,” said Dermody.
LEAP’s hope is that people left the session feeling better informed and knowledgeable about things that are important to them.
“Many people who attend have a specific topic they’re paying attention to, so I hope that they got that information that they’re looking for and were able to ask and learn more about something that is relevant to them. Or, maybe they even learned about something they hadn’t known about before,” said Cook.
Even more importantly, both LEAP and the elected officials hope that after the event, community members feel more comfortable reaching out in the future to share their opinions and ideas.
“I hope that even after some of these things resonate a bit that people feel more confident to reach out to their mayor, their councilman, and their legislators and say, ‘This impacts me positively or this impacts me negatively, and here’s a possible solution.’ We want to have that open dialogue,” said Pressel.
LEAP’s Third House Legislative Update Session was ultimately a great way for the community to take an active role in shaping their community. It demonstrated the power of open discussion and pushed La Porte County even further in the right direction.
“LEAP does a fantastic job as you saw by the crowd and we certainly appreciate all the work that they do to help make La Porte a better place,” said Dermody. To learn more about La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership, visit laportepartnership.com.